Well, my trusty, somewhat bulky Fujitsu S5000 died yesterday at Disneyland. It served me well for the past 5 years... but it's time to replace.

Wife wants something more compact... and of course I have to comply.

So, the only thing I know is I want something with a relatively large display... over 3" if possible.

Any camera recommendations?

There was a good thread on this topic in the Sandbox. I think it is still on the front page.

How compact is compact? What is your price point?

Zach

I guess I'll have to check out the sandbox. I never go there...

I'm thinking $200-300... and Compact as in "fits in your hand/purse"

$300 rules out an SLR (single lens reflex) and puts you looking at the "compacts".

Due to options changing quickly with digital cameras I can't recommend one over another, but here are a couple things to think about.

How fast can the camera focus and take a photo? This is a major factor if you are photographing something like a kid opening presents or shooting cars at a race!!!!! (my Nikon compact is useless, my Nikon D50 SLR is perfect)

What type batteries does the camera use? I use my small Nikon for work and as a result wanted a camera that uses AA batteries. If the batteries go out, I can just go to 7-11 and buy some more.

Does it have a view finder? Regardless of how big the view screen is, if you are out in bright sunlight, you may not be able to see it well. (the small Nikon I have is a coolpix 4100, with view finder, and is no longer available)

DON'T get sold on the idea that the more mega-pixels, the better. Even just 2 megapixels is fine!!! I shoot photos at the camera max of 4.1 megapixels and then have to size them down to 30% of original for web usage.

Make sure that the memory card is a common one. The Nikons use the "secure digital" type and are available for a real good price (I just bought a San Disk 2 gig card for a friend, from Fry's, for 8 dollars).


Wes

One of the most important features will probably involve the shutter "delay". On many of the point-and-shoot digital cameras, there can be a 3-4 second delay between the time you click the shutter until the time the picture is taken. This can be a real problem in action shots.

Personally I love the Canon A620/A630, takes good short videos too. Can't beat the swiveling screen either, or the price.

Heres an incar video taken with an A620 last year.

http://www.thextremeresources.com/boshi/po...vid-smaller.mov

check out www.dpreview.com

from there on - you are on your own : )

focus speed and shutter delay

I know zip about camera's, bought this one at Costco and think it does well.

Click to view attachment

My Shelby show thread gives an example of how it looks point and shoot.

Ferg

And be forewarned, when at the camera shop;

Some "shutter delay" is due to the amount of time for the camera to focus.

It's possible to "pre-focus" on a stationary object and make the total delay less.

This may be good in the camera shop, while the salesman (or woman) is pushing a camera. It's not the same in an "action" environment.

Wes

Just one comment about a compact. If it has a large screen it may not have a viewfinder too. Not really a problem except when the sun washes out the screen. I've been real happy with my Nikon coolpix p2. It's small enough to go in your pocket and still has 5.1 mp. Lots of features for a small inexpensive camera. Sure don't miss dragging around big 35mm and lenses when mostly taking snaps of kids and cars.

How big is your purse?

Very happy with the latest Panasonic with the Leica lens.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=...amp;dcaid=17902

I like the Panasonic too. The TZ3 is great for travel because of the 10x zoom. The 10x start as a mild wide angle and goes up from there. Really flexible. Big screen but that comes at the expense of a viewfinder. Reaction time is good particularly if you do the prefocus thing that Wes referred to.

http://www.buy.com/prod/panasonic-lumix-dm.../204235605.html

The downside to todays point and shoot digitals is they are throwaways. You said yours died after 5 years. I recently had a Sony die after aprox. 4 years. I now am useing a Polaroid digital, takes good pics and was inexpensive. How many of us have old 35mm cameras that have been around / used for 20-30 years and still work fine.

Personally anything by Canon I have had extremely good luck with. Had an A2 forever without ever an issue. I have a Canon compact video camera that cartwheeled down a concrete Luge in France after I took a tumble. It ripped off my neck, tumbled down the luge and finally bounced up into the grass. It filmed everything as it happened and STILL WORKED!! Sold me on Canon products.

I use a Canon SD600 for vacations. Very compact and takes excellent pictures and I use a Canon SLR Rebel XT for the Excellence articles.

I have had nothing but trouble with everything Sony. 3 different camcorders quit during important SCUBA trips. TV, sound systems, cameras etc. They all quit. I wouldn't own a Sony product now. I think their days of quality are long gone.....

I also really like the canons.
Got my wife a SD850is. She wanted a very small point-n-shoot camera
with an optical view finder.
The 850is had the largest display and
optical view finder (which we both consider mandatory) that I could find.
In our case we needed an underwater housing for Scuba so that was factor too.
(It's was an extra $170 for the underwater housing)
We also needed manual white balance for underwater shots which the
850is does as well.

But one thing that is really nice with the latest SD series Canons is that
they have these animated/flying icons so its easy to see what mode/option you
are selecting. This is nice for those of us with "over 40" eyes.

We really wanted AA batteries but couldn't find a compact with the features we
wanted. The Canon A series while a much better camera was just a bit
too large.

The image stabilization does help out in low light situations.
One thing that we really liked on the SD850is is the macro capability.
It focuses down to less than 1 inch. This makes some incredible macro shots.

The camera also seems to do a really nice job on exposures when the flash
is used. Many compacts that I've used tend to really wash out or over expose
shots when the flash is used because they can't control the flash intensity.
I was able to take macro shots of bugs and spiders using the flash and the
exposure was fine.
I could also take pictures in total darkness and the photos came out
nicely exposed and focused.

So far its been a great little camera.

And it does fit easily into her purse....
It is the size of a deck of playing cards.

We bought extra batteries for $1.00 off ebay
and a leather "ape" camera case for $10 that fits the camera way better
than the one that canon makes.

--- bill

Nikon L11 is my newest camera. I love it and I've taken some great pictures with it. For $100, I wouldn't look anywhere else next time.

I got my wife a Canon SB1000 while she was pregnant. it is not IS, but it takes much better pictures then I thought it would. And I can stick it in jeans pockets easily. it is small.

Zach

I have an Olympus Stylus 410. It has a metal water resistant case that really takes a fall well. It takes soooooooo looooong to focus that I've missed a million good pictures, thus pissing me off. I bought a Nikon SLR for Christmas and I love it. The only problem is that it's cumbersome to carry around all day.

Got my wife a Canon SD1100IS. Simple, small and thin, IS, some shutter lag, metal body, rechargeable battery, OK screen size, optical viewfinder, adequate optical zoom, body color of your choice. Canon makes a great product, even for a lifelong Nikon SLR guy like me.

This belongs in the sandbox! The Cap'n

I'm very happy with my Canon. I decided to buy it after checking out this site:

http://www.megapixel.net/html/index.php

Lots of good buzz about this latest Panasonic Lumix. I like optical vise digital zoom for sure! I'd go for this one if I was in the market for an approx $300 camera

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonictz5/